That Stupid Ice
by SwirlsInYourSkull
Summary: My character meets her favorite book protagonists...Dream or real?


"Death is my business and business is good!" I yelled, pinwheeling my arms. "There's a grave robber at large, Ripping bodies from hallowed ground; Desecrate those who rest in peace, there's profit to be made from the recent deceased! Woo!" I screamed, stomping on the floor. I did a fast air guitar and spun around...Sending my iPod flying. " Well, damn." I said, and trotted over to where it laid on its side."VIOLETTE!" I heard my mother scream. I picked up my iPod and flung it down on my bed, my feet already running. When I reached the living room on the first floor, my mother was sitting on the sofa, as near to the a/c as possible. " Paul wants to know if you want to go to the library with him, " Mom said, cleaning her glasses. "Sure." I said, rubbing my eye. (I had gotten new contacts, and they were taking some getting used to.) "Well then go get ready, hes leaving in 20 minuets." "Alright, I 'll be done soon." I said and walked back upstairs, trying to hide my giant grin. Truth is, I love the library, and was more then happy to go with my dad. I picked jeans, my 'irrelephant' shirt , and snagged a pair of my favorite golden flats. I brushed my wavy hair into some sort of order. I glanced at myself and smiled; I loved my dark green eyes. " I'm ready!" I shouted, swinging my body around the door-frame. "Then come on down! We've been waiting for you." My dad yelled up the stairs, a grin on his voice. "Coming!" I said, and walked to the stairway as I walked out the door, I jammed my iPod into my pocket. Just as my hand touched the banister, a warm rush of air blew past my neck, and I distinctively heard my ears pop. I froze, trying to see if I could recreate the minor breeze by shaking my hair or walking to fast. Nothing. I was about retrace my steps, when my father called me. " Violette? You coming down soon?" "Uh...COMING!" I said, way too loudly. " Lower your voice, Vio. We're not that far away." My mother chimed in, her tone chiding. "Sorry," I said, rushing clumsily down the stairs. "Glad you're here. Now lets go. Bye, sweetie," He said casually to Mom. "Bye Mom." I parroted, closing the door behind us. She waved as we left. The walk to the library was a contented silence, both of us dreaming about the ten books we would check out that day. "Yes!" I crowed when the library loomed into sight. I ran ahead of Dad and wrenched one heavy door open.

"Ok, see you," I said to him, and he nodded. I went downstairs and he went upstairs. I headed to the Teens/Rare Book area, and he went to the Novel/Comic section. I loved the Teen/Rare book section, partly because it had the books I wanted, but still retained that old, dusty, history-ish feel. I went around methodically, picking out my top five: Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox, Maximum Ride, Johnny The Homicidal Maniac and, much to my embarrassment, New Moon. Good. I glanced around: There were no other books I wanted, and yet I had two more hours til my Dad was done. I put my books down on the only table around and wandered around for a few minuets. I stepped up to the glass cabinets of the rare book section, reading the spines. Then the same gust I had felt at the head of the stairs: That same hair raising warmth. A little creeped out, I quit reading the spines and sat at the table. I rested my head on its surface, studying the cracks and bumps on the top. I closed my eyes and drifted off, breathing in the scent of old books. I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I remembered was a soft nudge on my shoulder and a delicate voice urging me to wake up. I cracked open my lids and saw this ... thing. I sat up, my hand automatically wiping at the damp spot my deep breathing had created. I tipped the chair backwards, with me still on it, and crawled backwards til my back hit the wall. Since I had put some distance between myself and the thing, I took time to study it. It had a vaguely human, female shape, like an extremely smudged pencil sketch. "Uh?" I said, my throat unable to communicate the more advanced, almost brave statement of 'Explain yourself'. The thing held out a blurred hand, and drifted closer to me. I bolted upright, and just as I turned to run, a crushing feeling of lethargy and indifference hit me. "What do want?" I slurred, feeling drowsy now as well. The thing swept closer to me, and I felt my conscience fail. _Aw hell,_ I though as I slipped into unconsciousness.

I fell through a large cavernous tunnel, my stomach turning just as fast as the rest of me. The tunnel ended in what looked like a seven by seven square space. A kind of peach-colored bar lay in the middle, about 5 and a half feet long. The middle had black and green stripes, and so did the ends. As I got closer I saw it was a girl, laying totally still. Her eye were open and blank,and I started to worry that I would smash into a fresh corpse to cushion my fall. I got closer... And smashed _directly through her_. Reread that. Through her, not into or next to her. Through. And then all of a sudden, I _was_ her. I rolled over to see where she had went, and realized I was wearing her dress, which was black with a green bow in the middle. I ran my fingers through my hair nervously, which felt...kinda ... straight. I gasped and looked around for some kind of explanation. The only thing **anywhere **was a softly glowing rectangular light, which morphed into a door as I watched. I stood and clumsily grasped the knob and turned it...

And stumbled into the most glorious manor I had ever seen.(I had only seen one manor before this, but this one primarily took the cake.) "Wow..." I said, stepping softly onto the gleaming smooth wood floor. My feet made no sound, and only then did i notice that I was wearing what appeared to be _satin_ black flats. Me. The girl who had worn nothing better then leather boots (not that it was that important). The place seemed eerily still, like the air had petrified. I felt that stupid breath of warm air again and I whirled around. The thing was there again, and it seemed as shapeless and dreamy as it had in the library. It held out a limb, I'm guessing am arm and opened its hand (I think). In its crude palm , gleaming silver and purple, was my iPod, fully charged. "Ohhh..." I said breathily, leaning forward in spite of myself. I reached out and took it gently, and slipped it into a pocket on the dress. Feeling more cheerful this time, I said conversationally to the thing "So what is it? Why do you need me?"

_"For a favor."_ A surprisingly soft voice emanated from the creature. _"I need you to-" _the thing paused and stepped closer- _"Retrieve these four items." _She gestured quickly, and four holographic images drifted from her hands. I could clearly see each object as it formed- a wooden ballerina doll; looked antique, a decorated knob, a bejeweled egg that more or less the same price as the manor, an- the creepiest thing out of all- a huge, painful looking blade."So, where- and how- am I gonna get this stuff," I said, waving my hand at the images "and _why_?" _"Why?" _She repeated, confusion evident in her voice. "Yea, _WHY_?" I shouted, stepping closer to her- it. "_Why_ did you bring me here? _Why _did you pick me? And most importantly,_what _is happening to _my _world? I'm sorry." I said, after a long dropping my arms._ "Since you apologized to me, I will tell you." _I waited, not saying anything. _"First, I chose you because you have all the merits you need for this journey,"_ The thing said, and I had to ask: "Couldn't there be a person more...eh... equipped for this type of stuff?" _"I'm sure there is someone,"_ "- then could you get them? I'm not exactly made for this type of travel, you know." I quipped, "_-but there's no more time."_


End file.
